Which term denotes surgical removal of the appendix?

• A. Appendicealectomy
• B. Appendicitis
• C. Appendectomy
• D. Appendagectomy

Answer: (C)

In medical terminology, surgical removal is indicated by the suffix -ectomy. When the organ is the appendix, you combine the root for the organ with -ectomy to get the procedure name: appendectomy. This term literally means removal of the appendix, which is exactly what the procedure involves.

Appendicitis refers to inflammation of the appendix, not its removal. The other terms aren’t standard for this operation: appendicealectomy would be an awkward, nonstandard way to say removal of the appendix, and appendagectomy uses a non-specific word for the part being removed. The familiar and correct term is appendectomy.